


Faes

by iloveitblue



Series: Prompts [319]
Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: M/M, fae!Clint
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-22
Updated: 2016-01-03
Packaged: 2018-04-27 14:38:33
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,742
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5052493
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/iloveitblue/pseuds/iloveitblue
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The one where Phil is brought back through different means.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Agent Phil Coulson knew when he met Clint that there was something different about him. At the time, Phil couldn’t point exactly as to what was so peculiar about the marksman. Actually, to this day, he still couldn’t tell you what it was exactly that made Clint special, he just somehow… knew. 

There was something practically inhuman about Clint Barton.

The day Phil Coulson found out what it was that made Clint special was the day he woke up after the Battle of New York. He felt groggy and his mouth felt like it was filled with cotton. Just another Wednesday trip to med bay, then. Phil groaned to alert anyone within his vicinity that he was awake. Also, possibly to ask them for an ice chip or something to quench his thirst. 

What he didn’t expect was the brightness when he opened his eyes. Phil’s first thought was: ‘ _Oh no, please let me not be awake during an operation.’_  and the second thought was ‘ _Ooooh. Sparkly.’_  

Phil frowned at that train of thought and at the bed rail that was, apparently, sparkly. 

“Hey.” came a voice from beside Phil’s cot. 

Phil turned his head in one heavy roll and saw Clint sitting there with a smile. Phil wanted to say ‘ _Welcome back, Agent Barton.’_  or ‘ _I thought I lost you to Loki forever’_ or even ‘ _I missed you.’,_ all of which were things he wanted to say. Instead, what came out of his lips were, “Wings.” 

True enough, there were translucent wings, flapping softly, behind Clint. The archer glanced back at his wings and smiled softly at Phil. “Guess you can see them now, huh?” Clint shrugged, “The glamour only works on humans, apparently.” 

Phil reached out, but only managed to raise his hand a few inches off of the bed. “Ears.”

Clint’s ears were now pointy, well, the end was a soft point, but definitely a noticeable difference. Clint chuckled. “Yeah, you have those too.” 

“Pointy?”

“Yeah.” 

“Why?”

Clint’s smile fell off his face and he stared down at his lap. “Sir, Phil. You have to understand. We were going to lose you. You were dying, no, you were dead. For a few seconds, but you were dead. I had to do what I could. You’ve saved me so many times, I couldn’t just let you die.” 

“Clint…” Phil wanted to ask him what was going on, but only the archer’s name managed to escape his lips. 

“I… I asked some friends of mine. They said, well, they said they couldn’t bring you back.” Clint explained.

Ah. “Dead.” Phil said, that explained the hallucinations. Only question was; what kind of after-life was this?

“No.” Clint told him. “Well, technically, the human Phil is, but you aren’t.” Phil stared at Clint hoping that the archer would explain further. “My friends, they, uh, managed to bring your soul back, but you had to be reborn. As a fae.” 

 _I’m a…_ “Fairy?”

“Humans know us by that name, yes. It’s not that bad. You still look like yourself, and well, you can still work at SHIELD. The only difference now is that you’re a supernatural.”

“Fury…”  _Does he know?_

 _“_ No, he doesn’t. And I’d like to keep it that way. It’s not that I don’t trust Fury, it’s just that I don’t trust humans.” Clint shrugged again.

 _What… “_ About me?”

“You were the only exception. I wasn’t sure why, I trusted you at first, it seemed like second nature, too but after a while, I stopped questioning it.”

“Okay.” 

“Yeah?”

Phil nodded. “Sleep.” Phil said, his eyes already drooping.

“Yeah, sure. You must be tired. When you wake up, I’ll teach you everything you need to know about being a fae. starting with establishing your own glamour because I gotta tell you, working on yours and mine at the same time is draining me, and-”

“Clint…”

“Oh, yeah. Sorry. Go to sleep, Phil.”

Phil smiled at Clint and let sleep take him. This was a wonderful dream - any dream with Clint in it is wonderful, even though it was a little weird. When he wakes up, he’ll make sure that the first thing he does is make sure that Clint is okay. And maybe research a little about his fae dream.

—

It wasn’t a dream.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> “-il. Are you awake?” A voice asked. A quiet but familiar voice. Phil tried to place the voice, but for some reason, couldn’t.

“Phil. I know you’re awake.” The voice sounded fondly exasperated. “Your lip is twitching. Your lip twitches when you’re pretending to be asleep. I’ve seen you do it enough times on missions.”

Phil still didn’t crack his eyes open. 

“Faes don’t need sleep, Phil.”

Phil sighed. He knew who the owner of the voice was now. “I’m not a fae. Why has your voice changed?”

“It hasn’t. Your hearing has.” Clint explained. “Well, technically your ear has changed shape so your hearing has too… Since, you know, you’re a fae now.”

“I’m not a fae.” Phil repeated.

“Denying it won’t make it any less true. Now come on. Open your eyes.”

Phil sighed once more, sitting up in his bed. “How did you get in here, Barton?”

“The door was unlocked.” Clint shrugged.

“No, it wasn’t. I locked it before I went to bed.” Phil responded.

“Not where I usually come in through.”

“And where is that?”

“The keyhole.”

“Are you kidding me?”

“No. I can change my size. Kinda part of the whole shapeshifting schtick. I can’t do that thing that Kamala kid does though.”

“Too bad.” Phil shrugged.

“Why, Phil Coulson. What did you have in mind?” Clint waggled his eyebrows.

“I was thinking, maybe I could grow my hand and slap you upside the head. It’s only logical.” Phil grinned.

“Aww. Now, you’re hurting my feelings.” Clint pouted. 

Phil was about to laugh when he heard footsteps outside his door, his ears twitching. “Sshh.”

“I hear it too.” Clint whispered. 

“Disappear.” Phil hissed.

“I can’t do that! I’m a fae, not a ghost.” Clint hissed back. 

“Then turn tiny and hide somewhere.” Phil waved his arm around frantically as he got up to open his door. “Now.” 

Clint’s eyes widened and he immediately shrank himself down and hid under a pillow. Phil opened his door to find Skye standing there, fist braced for a knock.

“Oh, I- May wanted me to get you.” Skye explained. “She says it looks like we’ve got a new mission from HQ.”

“Thank you, Skye. I’ll be down shortly.” Phil nodded curtly.

“Okay. Was- Was someone in here with you? I thought I heard someone else’s voice.” Skye frowned, looking over Phil’s shoulder, and finding the room empty.

“No.” 

“Umm. Okay then. I guess I’ll see you downstairs.” Skye took one last look in the room before heading off, looking back a few more times as she walked.

Phil closed the door softly behind him and sighed. 

“You know, sooner or later you’re going to have to tell them.”

Phil ignored him, going for his closet instead. “Tell them what exactly? That I was brought back by a supernatural creature?” Phil picked a suit and laid it out on his bed.

“Brought back  _as_  a supernatural creature. And no, I meant that I’m here.”

“And risk questioning? No thanks.” Phil took two ties out and presented it to Clint. “What do you think?”

“Right one. And what’s the big deal? After one round of questioning, it’s over. One and done.”

Phil walked towards the bathroom and called out. “Knowing Skye, it won’t be one and done. She has the tenacity of a journalist searching for the truth.” He picked up his toothbrush and started brushing his teeth.

“Well, that makes sense. She was a hacker right? Hackers, if they don’t do it for the money, they usually do it for social justice.” Clint shrugged, sitting on top of the faucet. “And, I guess I understand. I just mean, I feel like your mistress, having to hide every time somebody knocks.”

Phil talked around his toothbrush. “Feel free to tell the team yourself, but you’re the one explaining to Melinda how you got on board while we’re 70,000 feet above ground.” Phil spit out the toothpaste gunk and rinsed his mouth. “’Coz I’m not doing that.”

“83, actually.” Clint corrected, holding out the towel for Phil to take.

“Thanks. Either way. I’m not telling them.” Phil wiped his face, deciding that he could hold off on the shaving for today. Phil went back to his bed and started changing into his suit.

“Okay, but can I tell the Avengers?” Clint asked.

“That you’re a fae, go ahead.” Phil said.

“No, that we’re… you know.” Clint returned to his human size and sat on the edge of the bed.

“In a relationship?”

“Yeah. That.”

“Still can’t say it?”

“Still can’t believe it.” Clint corrected. 

“Me neither. I always think I’m going to wake up and all of this was a dream. It would explain all the sparkles.” Phil teased.

“We do not sparkle. And if we did, you know I’d totally pull it off.” Clint grinned.

“I know. But I doubt I would.” Phil frowned.

“You totally would, and you’d somehow make it look badass.” Clint nodded to himself.

Phil tightened his tie and sat down next to Clint. “You’re ridiculous. You know that?”

“And you love me anyway.” 

Phil kissed his forehead as agreement. “Go ahead, tell them.”

“Seriously? You know Stark is going to pull all the strings he can to get you back to New York, right?”

“I do and I’m ready for him. This team needs a break anyway.” 

“This is why you’re the best.” Clint kissed his cheek. “Now go to work, you lazy pants.” 

Phil rolled his eyes at him but smiled.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Here on tumblr](http://promptmephlint.tumblr.com/post/132677592431/my-internet-provider-is-not-even-working)


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> He was, maybe, seven or eight - definitely not older than 10 - when he saw him for the first time - the fae named Clinton.

It wasn’t even intentional, Phil had just gotten lost in the small forest behind his grandmother’s farm and the next thing he knew, he was staring into bright blue eyes.

Phil scrambled backwards, unintentionally tripping on an exposed root. He closed his eyes as soon as he realized that he was going to fall on his butt but the impact never came. Phil dared a peek and found himself floating a few inches off of the ground, floating safely back down to the ground. 

Blue eyes still stared at him, when Phil checked to see if he was still there. 

“Did you do that?” Phil asked.

The boy nodded.

“Well, thank you.” Phil’s mom taught him to always say thank you if someone did something nice for you, and the boy helped Phil. “What’s your name?” Phil asked but the boy just kept his mouth shut. “My name is Phillip.” 

When the boy didn’t answer him still, Phil huffed. “You know when someone tells you their name, the polite thing to do is to tell them yours.”

_Clinton._

Phil flinched when he heard the voice. There was no one else that he could see and the boy’s lips clearly did not move.

_My people call me that._

Phil’s gaze turned to the boy, the only other person there. “Was that you? Were you the one talking just now?”

The boy - Clinton - tilted his head sideways. _Was I not supposed to?_

 _“_ But your lips, they’re not even moving.” Phil pointed out. 

Clinton’s brows furrowed for a second before he started flapping his lips like a fish. _I do not see why my lips need to move when I talk._ The voice and Clinton’s lips were so out of sync that it made Phil laugh out loud. _What is so amusing?_

 _“_ You’re- and your lips- and I-” Phil managed to say in between giggles. “I’m sorry,” Phil said, wiping a stray tear from the corner of his eye, “It’s just, your lips weren’t making the shapes they were supposed to when you speak. It’s just funny.” 

 _Then maybe I just won’t move my lips when I speak._ Clinton pouted.

“If that’s what makes you feel comfortable, I’m okay with it.” Phil shrugged. 

 _Then I won’t._ Clinton declared.

“Okay. Hey, do you know how to get out of this forest? It’s almost dinner time and my mom is probably looking for me.”

_I’ve never been outside the forest. It is forbidden. I can take you to the edge of the forest where your kind dwells though._

_“_ You can? Thanks.” Phil gave him a great big smile, and started to follow when Clinton moved. “Hey, what did you mean when you said going outside the forest is forbidden? Is this where you live?”

_The forest is my home. It is where my people reside. We stay here because we’re safe._

_“_ And you’re okay with that? Don’t you want to see the world?”

_What’s there to see? All that mankind has done since the start is destroy. Why would I want to see that?_

_“_ I’m not sure what you’re talking about, but the world is full of beautiful places. I have this picture book that I got a year ago, it’s got pictures from all around the world! It’s got the eyeful tower and the leaning tower of pizza! and- and- it’s got the African safari, and it’s got different forests too! The world is a beautiful place and it seems like an awful waste if you just stay here all your life.” 

_The elders have decreed it. I cannot go against their wishes._

_“_ Well, maybe you should grow up a little more and ask them again. My mom says I can’t see the world until I’m at least as tall as my dad and until I learn to be reprehensible.” 

_Reprehensible?_

_“_ Yeah. It’s when you agree to get in trouble if you did something naughty. It’s like being the good guy. Maybe when your elders think that you’re reprehensible enough, they’ll let you go.”

_I- We’re here. The edge of the forest._

Phil looked up to see the outline of his grandma’s house. He smiled at Clinton and gave him a hug. “Thank you. Wait here. I’m gonna get something.” 

Phil came back not 5 minutes later with a book in hand. “Here, as thanks for what you did for me today.” Phil handed Clinton his picture book. “Until your elders allow you to leave the forest, you can just look through this. It’s not the same but it’s better than nothing. And then maybe one day, we can meet each other again in another part of the world.” 

Clinton looked down at the glossy book in his hands and then back up at Phil. _Thank you, Phillip._

 _“_ You can call me Phil. My friends call me Phil.”

_Phil._

_“_ And maybe I can call you Clint instead of Clinton.” Phil grinned. 

Clint nodded.

—

Phil stared at the battered book in the box of Clint’s stuff. It was like the one he lost when he was a kid. Clint’s copy though was obviously well-loved. Aside from being the only book in Clint’s belongings, the pages were worn and the cover had some patches of ink missing from where it was held the most. 

Phil tried to remember where he’d lost his copy but the only thing he could remember was the foggy memory of a summer spent at his grandmother’s.

And of a boy with bright blue eyes. 

“Hey, if you’re done in there, could you help me with unboxing the kitchen stuff?” Clint said as he entered their bedroom.

“I had a book just like this when I was younger.” was all Phil could say in response.

Clint looked at the said book and snickered. He sat down next to Phil and smiled. “That is your book, Phil. You gave it to me as thanks for bringing you back home that one time.” Clint hummed as he took the book off of Phil’s hands and went through it like he always did in the past. “Now that I think about it, I think this book was the reason why I decided to leave the forest. The elders called me a crazy idiot, even threatened to strip me of my abilities, for even suggesting it but it was so worth it in the end.” He looked back up at Phil and smiled, “So I guess, in the end, I owe you my thanks, Phillip.”

Phil rolled his eyes at him but smiled. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> kid!Phil meant Responsible, not reprehensible. I just remembered that joke from The Amazing World of Gumball. :D
> 
> [Here on tumblr](http://promptmephlint.tumblr.com/post/136544557506/most-of-my-an-last-year-was-complaining-about-my)

**Author's Note:**

> [Here on tumblr](http://promptmephlint.tumblr.com/post/131693837041/i-cleaned-my-room-today-and-its-all-sparkly)


End file.
